A year-and-a-half removed from the release of her debut full-length The River Grace, Hollow Bones is a bold step forward for someone years ahead of her time. With a relentless and renewed spirit Halstead has a firm grasp on her abilities, never once pushing her limits. Much of the credit for said maturation goes to time spent in the bluegrass band The Broken Blossoms, an experience that she freely admits led to her maturation as a songwriter. "Being in the Broken Blossoms was an important part of me growing as a songwriter, it allowed me look to the future and figure out what I want to do. In the end, I realized I had to hone my own voice in songwriting and continue telling great stories."
Utilizing a roots backdrop once again, Hollow Bones draws heavily on the strengths of its session players, including guitarist Lyle Brewer, harmonica extraordinaire Jim Fitting, fiddle player Julie Metcalf and lap steel veteran Adam Ollendorf. Recorded live in producer David Piper's studio, the EP has a defined sense of intimacy and timelessness that allows its charms to leap from the speakers. Opening cut "Damascus," has a well-worn, earthy sentiment that seems primed for AAA charts. Halstead's full-bodied alto, give the song's arresting narrative a sense of conviction that is felt immediately. "Good Lookin' Boy," builds on the momentum of "Damascus," but carries it forward. "La Luna Roja," spins a yarn that is both poetic and undeniably romantic. On the album closer, the swampy "Banks of the Mississippi," she melds a story that seems plucked from a Faulkner novel.
Now in her fourth year in Boston, Halstead, a Washington State native, seems supremely comfortable and firmly established in her new locale. Hollow Bones has the confidence and professionalism that seems certain to propel her into the national spotlight. Make no mistake about it, the release of Hollow Bones is the emergence of a bona fide talent coming into her own, and the unwavering sense that she won't be Boston's secret for long.